In Plateau State, where years of tension have strained relationships between farming and pastoral communities, a fresh wave of hope is emerging powered not by force, but by dialogue.
Last week, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu dispatched Dr. Abiodun Essiet, his Senior Special Assistant on Community Engagement for the North Central Zone, on a mission to rebuild trust and strengthen intercommunal harmony across the state.
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Over two intensive days, Essiet met with Christian leaders, Fulani Miyetti Allah representatives, traditional rulers, women, and youth groups listening, mediating, and charting a grassroots approach to peace.
Her visit culminated in a large town hall meeting in Jos, where delegates from across Plateau’s 17 Local Government Areas explored ways to deepen coexistence and revive community peace structures.
One of her key stops was a courtesy visit to Rev. Ezekiel Dachomo, Chairman of the Regional Church Council in Barkin Ladi, a respected voice among Christian communities.
Their conversation highlighted the powerful role of faith-based leadership in rebuilding unity. Essiet also addressed widows affected by past conflicts, carrying the President’s message of reconciliation and healing.
In the same community, she met with Fulani leaders from Miyetti Allah to encourage dialogue between pastoralists and farmers emphasizing the Federal Government’s commitment to inclusive, conflict-sensitive engagement.
Her consultations continued with a closed-door session involving the Irigwe community, Miyetti Allah members, and the Bassa Youth Council.
The groups reviewed the progress of a 17-member peace committee dedicated to strengthening reconciliation efforts between historically divided communities.
For many local observers, these conversations signaled a shift from top-down directives to community-owned peacebuilding.
Essiet stressed that President Tinubu views the Community-Based Peace Structure as critical to North Central stability designed to empower residents to prevent conflicts before they escalate.
A notable early success came when a simmering dispute in Gyel, Jos South, was peacefully resolved.
Following damage to Agha Farm, owned by David Toma, the farm owner had seized two cows belonging to herders.
Through mediation, MACBAN Chairman of Bassa LGA, Alhaji Isah Yau, paid N500,000 compensation on November 15. The cows were returned, and both sides signed an agreement pledging to maintain peace.
Small as it may seem, the resolution stands as a symbol of what is possible when dialogue replaces mistrust—and when government, communities, and traditional institutions work together toward a shared future.